The Quiet American

The Quiet American

Director: Phillip Noyce

Cast: Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, Do Thi Hai Yen

Cert: PG15.

Caine may well have set himself up for another Oscar nomination for this re-make of the l958 screen version of the Graham Greene classic.

The story is set in the pre-Vietnam War days in Indochina and concerns the world-weary correspondent Thomas Fowler (Caine) who lives a small life while enjoying the exotic (women, drugs, atmosphere) and disregards what goes on around him.

The role of the slightly bewildered Aiden Pyle - the Quiet American of the title - is a masterpiece from Fraser (in the original it was taken by, for some curious reason of ill-casting, Audie Murphy) and Noyce's directing turns the film into a gem.

Apparently, in the aftermath of the Twin Towers attack, the film's release was delayed. It was eventually released only after Caine demanded so from makers Miramax. We should be grateful for Caine's success.

Star Rating: 4/5